UnManning the Game

“It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes,” are nine words spoken by Cam Newton that revealed the quarterback’s sexism, while simultaneously exposing America for its hypocrisy. Be clear, Newton’s remarks were immature and offensive for most women everywhere, and especially for women who have worked tirelessly to earn respect for producing quality work in the sports industry. However, the stereotypical assumption that women are less informed than their male colleagues because of their gender, trite as it may be, wasn’t the most disparaging bias exposed during this ordeal.

Newton’s team, the Carolina Panthers, and the NFL, were among the first to offer Rodrigue support. In separate statements, both organizations stressed its belief in providing a fair and equitable work environment for male and female journalists. Furthermore, the NFL distanced itself from Newton’s controversial remark adding, “They [Newton’s words] do not reflect the thinking of the league.” Predictably, The Association for Women in Sports Media and the Pro Football Writers of America, as well as a legion of male and female sports journalists, also reacted quickly in condemning Newton’s comments.

As an observer, men proudly expounding their pro-feminist views pleased the woman in me. But as a black woman, the power of intersectional feminism sent me raging against the machine, pussyhat wearing women, and of course, the (white) man. Black athletes have been taking knees, raising fists, locking arms (we don’t call that protesting over here) and using their public platforms to raise awareness about racial injustice, police brutality and general societal ills that disproportionately impact people of color for over a year. Yet, their cries have been belittled, whitewashed, and largely ignored despite several very violent videos validating their pleas for change.

Comparatively, when a white woman, in this case Rodrigue, feels victimized by a black man, white men and women throw on their capes and rush to her rescue — no questions asked. Do the googles on how white women have historically used their whiteness to weaponize against black men and how black men suffer most for it. In the oppression Olympics — absent of white men because of privilege and supremacy — white women always, always prevail.

Newton is exposed as a sexist, he loses an endorsement. Rodrigue is exposed as a racist, she suffers Twitter backlash. A presidential candidate callously promotes sexual assault, he’s elected to the most powerful position in the world.

Not to mention, 53% of white women who voted for Trump weren’t offended enough by his misogyny to withhold a vote for a president who campaigned on putting women’s reproductive rights at risk.

See how that works?

Our nation’s value system is morally corrupt. Those who are outraged enough to stand up for gender equality, but remain silent about racial equality are facilitating the dehumanization of black people.

Hypocrisy: An American Story.

photo via Getty Images/Ezra Shaw

Political Incorrectness: The absence of racial equality in the presence of feminism was last modified: October 6th, 2017 by Shana Renee

As NFL players suit up and return to the gridiron, some fans have decided to give up a season of rooting for their home team and favorite players. There will be no draft boards, no kitschy fantasy football team name and definitely no nail-biting, down-to-the-wire wins to celebrate. Instead, they’re gearing up to take on the NFL and team owners in defense of quarterback-activist Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick protested social inequality by kneeling during the national anthem before games last season. He opted out of his San Francisco 49ers contract in March and remains a free agent, with the new season just 23 days away.

Despite playing fantasy football for seven seasons and subscribing to premium NFL television packages, Kimberly Bennett, a 38-year-old attorney and lifelong New York Giants fan, has made the difficult decision to deprive herself of NFL enjoyment. “I feel like my hand was forced,” she said.

She’s not alone. Kellie Hockless, 38, said her avidity for the game started to wane last season. “I can’t even name all of the starting quarterbacks anymore,” the Brooklyn resident said when discussing her lack of enthusiasm for the 2017 season.

Kaepernick’s 2016 protest being misrepresented as anti-American, anti-military and anti-law enforcement along with the NFL’s handling of multiple domestic incidents and lukewarm response to the dangers of concussions turned Hockless off from the game a year ago.

“With each day it becomes more and more evident that this game that we love so much is not good for human beings to play,” she said.

In speaking of her choice to fully boycott the upcoming season if Kaepernick remains unsigned, she said of the NFL, “They don’t care about anything else besides the bottom line. Not human life. Not women. Not black lives — nothing.”

Ohio native and academic adviser Natalie Everett, 38, views the NFL’s shunning of Kaepernick as a pointed message to not just Kaep, but other players, as well. “When a person becomes too outspoken and does more than entertain the masses, usually there’s somebody that comes in and wants to humble them a little bit,” Everett said.

The shoot, and accompanying story, was a welcomed and timely surprise. It invited fans into the engaged couple’s love affair, providing details about the moment they met, their proposal, wedding plans; and so much more. The entire article is a beautiful narrative that you absolutely must read in its entirety. I was most struck by the the couple’s candor, especially given Ohanian is a relatively unknown figure despite his role in the tech space as the co-founder of Reddit.com. And let’s face it, the second Williams announced her engagement, fans of the global sports icon clamored for information about her mystery man. Well, “Vanity Fair” came through with the details.

Here are a few things we learned about 6’5 Ohanian — born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Columbia, MD — and his relationship with Williams.

Ohanian is a Reddit co-founder. He and his business partner sold the company in 2006 before returning as executive chairman a few years ago.

The number of users went up rapidly, and, in 2006, 16 months after launching it, he and Huffman, still in their early 20s, sold the company to Condé Nast (which also publishes this magazine) for a reported $10 to $15 million. The price was a fraction of what Reddit has been estimated to be worth today: $4 billion. Alexis sheepishly admitted that they may have sold the company a little early.

Several years ago, he and Huffman returned to Reddit as executive chairman and chief executive officer, respectively, the company once again independent.

He’s a major basketball and football fan, but not much of an athlete despite his height. Also, he’d never watched a tennis match until Serena herself invited him.

But Alexis, an avid pro-football-and-basketball fan, had “never watched a match on television or in real life. It was literally the sport—even if ESPN was announcing tennis updates, I would just zone out. . . . I really had no respect for tennis.”

Alexis, on the other hand, had never seen a tennis match until he met Serena, in May of 2015 in Rome. He knew so little about the game that the photo he excitedly posted on Instagram of her playing her first match in the Italian Open showed her foot faulting.

In May 2015, the two met by happenstance at a hotel in Italy. Williams was visiting for a tournament and Ohanian was a speaker at a conference. Williams’s first impression of her husband-to-be? Annoyed.

Alexis and Serena met the way two people do in the best love stories: by chance. Actually, it runs a little deeper than that because, let’s face it, Alexis was initially considered by Serena and the others she was with to be an irritant they were hoping would just get the hint and go away.

The location was the Cavalieri hotel, in Rome, on May 12, 2015. That night Serena was about to play her first match in the Italian Open. She is not a morning person and usually doesn’t eat breakfast, but the buffet offering at the Cavalieri was beyond extravagant and Jessica was champing at the bit, so they went to try it along with longtime agent Jill Smoller, of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, and Zane Haupt, who handles some business-development opportunities for Serena.

The buffet had closed down five minutes before the group got there, so their only recourse was to go to the pool area and sit at a table for four and order breakfast. Other people on Serena’s team were expected at an adjoining table.

The night before, Alexis had stayed up until one or two in the morning drinking at a café with Kristen Wiig and friends—Wiig was in Rome shooting Zoolander 2, and he knew her cousin, so he introduced himself. He passed out when he got back to the hotel, where he was staying for the Festival of Media Global conference, and was slightly hungover when he came down to breakfast. He too headed out to the pool area. Which is when he decided without thinking about it to sit at the table next to Serena, his only interest to get coffee and food and put on his headphones and work on his laptop. Which struck Serena and the others as a pain in the neck, since Alexis had a choice of other empty tables.

“This big guy comes and he just plops down at the table next to us, and I’m like, ‘Huh! All these tables and he’s sitting here?,’ ” Serena remembered. Alexis recalled that the pool area was “not quite so empty.”

Then came the quintessential Australian accent of Zane Haupt. “Aye, mate! There’s a rat. There’s a rat by your table. You don’t want to sit there.”

Serena started laughing.

“We were trying to get him to move and get out of there,” said Serena. “He kind of refuses and he looks at us. And he’s like, ‘Is there really a rat here?’ ” At which point Serena remembers the first words she ever said to him.

“No, we just don’t want you sitting there. We’re going to use that table.”

“I’m from Brooklyn. I see rats all the time.”

“Oh, you’re not afraid of rats?”

“No.”

Which is when Serena suggested a compromise and invited Alexis to join them.

Their first date lasted six hours in Paris, the City of Love. Serena invited Ohanian to Paris to watch her play. He accepted and the rest is history.

The tournament, which Serena would ultimately win, had not started yet. So Alexis and Serena got into an Uber near Serena’s apartment and drove toward the Eiffel Tower. They stopped at a zoo Serena knew about called La Ménagerie in the Jardin des Plantes, then at a stall selling candies. Serena became excited, like a small child, and Alexis bought her some.

They just walked and roamed, Serena placing her faith in Alexis because he was a tried-and-true traveler, where all you needed was a backpack and the only rules were none. Alexis also sensed that this was not something Serena ever got to do as a worldwide celebrity, so much of her life being about regimen and glamorous scenes where acolytes circled like fireflies. For six hours they walked all over, the magic of the day multiplied by the city’s heartbreak of beauty, which only made it more beautiful.

In December 2016, Ohanian planned an elaborate proposal in Rome, the location of their initial meeting. But the plan almost fell apart.

Alexis decided he would surprise Serena by proposing to her on December 10 in virtually the same spot he had first met her: the Cavalieri. It was an intricate and tactical plan, several months in the making. Serena was scheduled to play in an exhibition in India, so Jill Smoller talked her into making a stopover on the way back and spending the night at the Cavalieri. Then the exhibition was canceled. There was no reason for Serena to go to Italy. Plus, she was beginning training for the Australian Open, and when Serena gets close to a grand-slam event, practice becomes a personal Hacksaw Ridge—fury, broken rackets, sometimes tears. Now going to Rome?

Alexis scrambled to enlist the help of others. Serena’s executive assistant, Dakota Baynham, secretly packed her bags. Tommy Hilfiger did a major solid by scheduling a meeting at her house in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, to discuss some fashion-related items so she would be there to get picked up for the airport. Jill came to the house and told her that she had to go to Italy because Alexis wanted her there under the guise of a spontaneous trip, much like the one they had taken to Disney World a few weeks earlier.

Serena wasn’t happy. Actually, she was livid. But after she got on the plane, she realized that he was flying her out for only one reason. “I knew it was coming. I was like, ‘Serena, you’re 35, you’re ready. This is what you want.’ ”

Alexis picked the same room they had shared a year earlier, the hotel at his instruction filling it with flowers. He took her downstairs to the same table by the pool area where they had first met. No one else was there, since the hotel, also at his instruction, had cleared everyone else out. He retold the story of how he had met her for the first time at this exact spot two years earlier. On the table was a little plastic rat.

Williams learned of her pregnancy in January 2017. Not too shocking to learn that Williams’s pregnancy was unplanned. How did she break the big news to her fiance of a month? By handing Ohanian a paper bag with six positive pregnancy tests.

Once Serena knew she was pregnant, she called Alexis and told him he needed to come to Melbourne earlier than planned. She did not give him the reason, but Alexis thought it was likely health-related and immediately got a United flight out of San Francisco. When she saw him, not a word was said.

She handed him a paper bag with the six positive pregnancy tests.

He was as shocked as Serena.

Ohanian has a great sense of humor. He shared a funny story about a San Francisco movie date.

Once, when she and Alexis went to a movie in San Francisco, he got up from his seat to get popcorn, earning the admiration of the kid at the counter.

“Yo, dude, that wasn’t Serena Williams, was it?”

“Come on. Me? Really?”

“You’re right.”

Don’t you just love love?

Serena is due in the Fall and the wedding will take place soon after. Retirement is, of course, out of the question for the mom-to-be. She expects to make a triumphant return to tennis in January 2018.

With a sold out crowd at Storrs, Connecticut’s famed Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, and legendary Lady Huskies including Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore, Sue Bird, Tina Charles, and many others in the stands cheering on their squad, Dawn Stanley coached her No. 6 South Carolina Lady Gamecocks to a competitive loss. On the journey to 100, with its last loss dating back to November 17, 2014, Connecticut notched its 98th double-digit win, though well below its average margin of victory of 38 points.

As the wins continued to pile up for Geno Auriemma’s women’s college basketball team, and they broke their own 90-game win streak, fans not so quietly began to wonder if his latest group of players would indeed achieve the greatest milestone in NCAA basketball history; win 100 consecutive games. For any other program, the thought would be considered foolish and unfathomable. How could any team maintain that kind of momentum? What about injury and fatigue? Pressure? Or, the contagious behavior of turnovers, poor shooting, or lax defense which are all known to rot teams from the inside out? Also, how would they replace the historic trio of Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, and Morgan Tuck? Surely, a rebuild of such magnitude would cause the Lady Huskies to struggle; and more importantly, swallow a loss or two, here and there. But none of this would affect Auriemma’s team en route to 100. In fact, none of this ever affects Auriemma’s dominant dynasty of teams. Sophomore’s Kia Nurse (12.8 ppg, 4.2 apg) and Napheesa Collier (19.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg) , along side juniors Katie Lou Samuelson (20.8 ppg) and Gabby Williams (13.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.3 apg) stepped up to the challenge and delivered the same winning characteristics as each of Auriemma’s NCAA championship teams have done throughout his Hall of Fame career.

And this wasn’t an easy victory. The (21-3) Lady Gamecocks were worthy opponents as they held (25-0) UConn’s top scorer, Samuelson, to an uncharacteristically low 6 points on 2-of-12 shooting; and forced Collier into early foul trouble. South Carolina remained competitive deep into the 4th quarter, led by A’ja Wilson’s 17 points. But in the end, it was Connecticut’s unrivaled discipline, defensive prowess, resolute mindset, and offensive hustle by Williams (career-high 26 points, 18 rebounds) that ultimately prevailed.

When the final buzzer sounded Monday night, there was no storming the court, or confetti drop. While fake big-faced Auriemma one hundred dollar bills did rain down from the rooftop, generally speaking, it was business as usual for the team that exists in a winners never lose reality that most of us only fantasize about.

After the celebration, Auriemma showed just how rooted in reality he is saying, “They carried the torch across the finish line to 100. If it’s a relay, they took the baton to 100. If we win a national championship it’s all theirs. I want to focus on trying to do that instead of worrying about the other stuff.”

“The other stuff?” Like believing their own hype, and falling into the trap of overlooking opponents and counting up every win before tip-off. Which fans, analysts, and media have been overzealous about doing for quite some time because “the other stuff” is earned, justified, and expected from Auriemma’s brand of basketball.

This should go without saying, but because there is a large segment of the population that is unclear, it must be said.

Female athletes do not devote an unfathomable number of hours of physical training, and adhere to a highly disciplined nutrition regimen to acquire the physical approval of others. Female athletes do not push themselves and their bodies to extraordinary limits, that appear humanly impossible, solely to be fawned over by men, or deemed the epitome of #bodygoals for all women. Female athletes’ bodies are works of art. They are instruments; valuable tools that demonstrate unparalleled athleticism and skill. Yet, nearly every female athlete has publicly endured body shaming from sports fans and media. Female athletes are often referred to as too muscular, and critiqued in an objectifying manner that delegitimizes their virtuosity. Twenty-two time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has been called masculine an ungodly number of times. The same with UFC fighter Ronda Rousey. And, in some instances, women are often critiqued to discourage entry into a sport. Misty Copeland, American Ballet Theatre’s first Black principal dancer, was often criticized for lacking height and possessing curves early in her career. Bottomline, women athletes are berated with a variety of affronting beliefs opposing the message, you’re perfect exactly the way you are.

That’s why US Olympic gold medalists Aly Raisman, 22, and Simone Biles, 19, sharing the pages of Sports Illustrated’s 2017 Swimsuit issue in body-baring bikinis, alongside towering fashion models, who traditionally meet America’s narrow and exclusionary standards of beauty, sends a strong message celebrating the diversity of women’s bodies and promoting body positivity. Though Biles and Raisman have flawlessly rebounded from being body shamed by coaches, as well as fought off cyberbullies by confidently affirming themselves in the past, showing their haters they’re self-assured in their skin by posing and flexing their bodies for SI in ways only world-class gymnasts could, beats a social media clapback every day of the week.

In the words of the late-great Godfather of Soul James Brown, “Say it loud: I’m Black and I’m proud!” This phrase comes to mind anytime I watch ESPN’s His & Hers with co-hosts Michael Smith and Jemele Hill. They are unapologetically Black, embracing and incorporating Black culture into their everyday work life for the entire world to see—diversity and inclusion at its finest!

In the wake of an unfathomable time for America’s political climate, sports serves as a great outlet for people of varying backgrounds to unite. But particularly for the Black community, the opportunity to view a sports talk show hosted by two people of color on the world’s premier sports network has a multi-layered impact. Allow me to break it down, because it’s deeper than just sports.

Smith and Hill were both sports enthusiasts in their own right prior to joining ESPN in 2004 and 2006, respectively. Both also worked in different capacities with the network before joining each other on Numbers Never Lie in 2013, which was rebranded into what we now know as His & Hers in 2014. But it is what they have done since being in their current positions that makes them special. Using their esteemed platform, this dynamic duo of sports gurus is infusing Black culture and pride into households across America. For example, this Halloween they did a spinoff of the 1991 Black film Boyz N the Hood called “Hiz N Herz N the Hood.” Not only were they talking about sports, but also cracking jokes, using Ebonics, and demonstrating “hood-like” behaviors. On the daily, their show includes a segment called “#DoinTooMuch,” a countdown of videos or images of people doing extravagant things both sport and non-sport related. Their use of colloquial expressions makes the show even more engaging and entertaining. And as a result, they are relatable to their demographic, and able to leverage a growing population of millennial sports fan.

While Smth and Hill have each certifed themselves as culture shifters, individually and collectively, I’m especially here for Hill.

Oftentimes on the show, Hill reminds viewers of her upbringing in inner-city Detroit, Michigan—the “real Detroit,” not the suburban area as she states. Having grown up with a mother who battled addictions, yet still worked to provide for her child since her father was a drug addict, Hill defied many statistics with her success story. She is college educated, being a proud alumna of Michigan State University holding a degree in journalism. Her story is admirable because it shows that with drive and consistency, you can persevere through your situations.

Even more importantly, Hill is a role model for numerous individuals. As a burgeoning sports journalist myself, I look up to Hill for a multitude of reasons. She is very knowledgeable of sports and the industry, she has immeasurable passion for her work, and she is undaunted by the pressures of working in a male-dominated field. I also had the pleasure of meeting Hill this past April at the inaugural Women in Sports Forum in Detroit where she was the keynote speaker. She was just as cool and laid back in person as she is on television, and encouraged people to be ambitious and maximize their potential.

Essentially, it speaks volumes that ESPN executives allow Smith and Hill to boldly be their authentic selves intersecting sports, comedy, music and overall Black culture. Not many employers permit such freedom and creativity because of worry that it may tarnish a brand. I’m sure there may have been initial hesitance, but I applaud ESPN for giving Smith and Hill the chance to be trendsetters in the business. And beginning in February 2017, you can catch Smith and Hill hosting SportsCenter at 6p.m. It doesn’t get much better than that!

For more of Jordan’s take, check out her blog The Watter Girl, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @thewattergirl!

“They’re not walking around giving Black women TV shows,” says Jemele Hill. The accuracy of her statement can’t be disputed. However, it may shock you to learn Hill is the one to drop this truth bomb and acknowledge the lack of representation within sports TV. After all, she’s the co-host and “hers” of ESPN’s hottest afternoon show, His & Hers. Joined by Michael Smith every weekday, this TV couple not only uses their coveted TV and social media platforms to dish thoughtful hot takes, but they also connect with their loyal fanbase to address today’s most pressing social issues with humor, passion, intellect, and a refreshing relatability. Staying true to her Detroit roots, Hill accepts her exemplary career journey from the Motor City’s newsroom to the Worldwide Leader in Sports makes her the exception, not the rule. It’s what fuels her commitment to redefine the perception of women in sports.

In an exclusive one-on-one UnManning the Game TV interview, the veteran sports media maven was predictably candid about the good, the bad, and the ugly of an evolving sports industry that’s admittedly made some positive strides towards inclusion; especially related to gender equality, but still has a way to go to achieve racial diversity.

From humble beginnings and the importance of mentorship, to sports media biases and how she really feels about her Twitter trolls, to an inevitable conscious uncoupling of His & Hers, no question was off limits for this die-hard Spartans fan. And that left me with just one regret. Is she the Andre 3000 to Michael’s Big Boi, or vice versa? Watch the video, and soon you’ll understand why she name dropped the iconic ATLien rap pair. But I did have Hill explain why she’s so hard on my New York Knicks and the team’s star Carmelo Anthony. So, there’s that. And no, she did not hold back. But don’t take my word for it. Click play to watch, learn, and laugh along as one of today’s most important voices in sports shares major keys to her game changing success.

When the media caught wind of NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick sitting during the national anthem one week ago, I knew it would only be a matter of time until additional athletes followed his lead. I was uncertain if his peaceful protest would create a rapid domino effect, or if it would be more of a slow burn, but I was confident others would support Kaepernick’s message and method.

Prior to Sunday, just two additional NFL athletes, Seattle Seahawks Jeremy Lane and Kaepernick’s San Francisco 49ersteammate Eric Reid, joined in solidarity with Kaepernick by sitting or taking a knee during the national anthem. Admittedly, I wish the numbers were greater than just two because there is indeed strength in numbers. To witness dozens upon dozens of NFL players taking a stand with Kaepernick for victims of injustice would have been a powerful act of sacrifice, unity, and courage. But people have to do what’s comfortable for them. I guess.

Aside from impatiently waiting for more athletes to take a stand by sitting, I also wondered when, if any, non-black athletes, more specifically of the NFL, would join the movement. As American citizens who exist within the same society as Black people, consciousness of the long, painful history of how people of color have been and continue to be mistreated should compel Kaepernick’s white cohorts to empathize on a human level, to some degree. Right?

Megan Rapinoe, star midfielder for the US Women’s National Team, took a knee while the national anthem played, during a National Women’s Soccer League match. While I was thinking of an Aaron Rodgers type of athlete to be the first non-Black athlete to get in formation, Rapinoe makes a ton of sense too. She is white, female, and gay; and happens to know a little something about inequity in America. In addition to Rapinoe being one of five US Soccer women players who have been outspoken about achieving equal pay within her sport, the World Cup and Olympic gold medal winner is an advocate for LGBT rights. “And quite honestly, being gay, I have stood with my hand over my heart during the national anthem and felt like I haven’t had my liberties protected, so I can absolutely sympathize with that feeling,” Rapinoe shared with espnW’s Julie Foudy. Rapinoe also highlighted the racist reactions of Kaepernick’s critics as a motivating factor for her demonstration. “I am disgusted with the way he has been treated and the fans and hatred he has received in all of this.” Rapinoe added, “It is overtly racist. ‘Stay in your place, black man.’ Just didn’t feel right to me. We need a more substantive conversation around race relations and the way people of color are treated.”

American history proves Kaepernick is justified in his actions. The terms outlined in the Constitution affirm his right to express himself freely. But, now that a white athlete has voluntarily inserted herself into the conversation, will the tone of the narrative shift? Will America finally hear Kaepernick’s why behind his actions because a white athlete has spoken on his behalf? Are those overly critical of Kaepernick’s stance more willing to acknowledge his truth if the messenger is white? After all, a white messenger is deemed less threatening, and purer in intent. The messenger is welcomed in peace. A savior. While white validation is never sought by Black people, history has often demonstrated that greater society rejects the truth until Black pain is acknowledged by white people. Though I wholeheartedly despise the notion that white people must exercise their white privilege on behalf of Black victims to achieve progress, white supremacy made us this way.

But what about when the messenger is a white woman, like Rapinoe? And gay? Will Kaepernick’s “overtly racist” critics go full throttle by revealing there are levels to their hate — racist, homophobic, and sexist? Will they muffle Rapinoe’s voice by harping on how niche women’s soccer is in America, to the point of erasing her valiant efforts? Will the ugliness of our white patriarchal society hinder us from overcoming differences and achieving this mythical, Pollyanna post-racial society that’s so often spoken of? We both know the answer to this.

But just imagine if others, like Rapinoe, took a moment for self-reflection and documented the times they’ve experienced prejudice and injustice. How, as a member of a marginalized group, they’ve felt excluded because of their race, gender, religion, sexuality, or class. How not conforming to societal standards has often resulted in lack of freedoms. Or just simply admitted that the privileges granted to them weren’t shared by the masses, and how unfair that it is. What a powerful impact that would have on the world.

That’s what Rapinoe did. As a non-person of color, Rapinoe looked beyond race. She used her personal inferiorities as a gay women as an equalizer and connected with Kaepernick, and those he’s fighting for, on a human level. She upheld so-called American values by sympathizing with the plight of others and taking a knee for what she believes in. And if it encourages just one additional American to have a breakthrough, then it makes the vitriolic backlash directed toward Rapinoe, Kaepernick, Lane, and Reid worth enduring.

Now that brings the count to four. Will we get a fifth?

For more sports talk from Shana Renee follow her here: @ItsShanaRenee on Twitterand Instagram. Also, like All Sports Everything on Facebook.

photo via Twitter user @GBpackfan32

Progress or Regress: What happens when the messenger is white, gay, and a woman? was last modified: December 21st, 2016 by Shana Renee

In a new :60 second spot, which dropped just in time for the US Open, Nike declared Serena Williams the greatest athlete to ever live. As in the GOAT.

The Wieden + Kennedy produced ad, opens with the word “Compton,” against the backdrop of a tennis court. The sound of piano keys draw us in, and additional words appear: “sister,” “outsider,” “pro,” “winner,” describing the 22 Grand Slam title holder. The camera pans to reveal Williams’ feet in motion as she glides across the court, eventually revealing her tennis racket and signature look of intimidation. But not before chronicling Williams’ 20-year journey of achieving greatness, watching it slip away, and returning to dominance. Words such as “#1,” “done,”, and “legend” capture the essence of Williams’ comeback.

But the big payoff is delivered when “greatest female athlete ever,” flashes across the screen and “female” vanishes to reveal Williams and the three words: “greatest athlete ever.”

Fin.

Epic.

In addition to the TV spot, Nike’s bringing Compton’s finest into New York’s boroughs via these out-of-home ads.

Thursday, Williams earned her 306th career Grand Slam match victory, tying Martina Navratilova for the most in women’s history. With a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Vania King in the second round of the tournament, Williams is just five wins away from her 23rd Grand Slam title, and becoming the winningest female tennis player in the Open Era.

For some, continuing to improve upon her incomparable career is necessary to validate her greatness but for others like myself and Nike, she’s been great.

I have a supersized All Sports Everything Radio episode for you this week, including an interview with 4x USA Track & Field Gold Medal Olympian Sanya Richards-Ross! We talked all things Rio, track & field, as well as her thoughts on the unfair criticism of fellow Olympian Gabby Douglas. In a few words, Richards-Ross described it as “disappointing” and questioned why people are so focused on something as “trivial” and “unimportant” as her hair. My sentiments exactly! Also, Richards-Ross filled us on in the real conditions of Rio. You can catch the interview at the 70:53 mark.

But before that, you know I had to share my thoughts on Colin Kaepernick protesting the national anthem and American flag.I blogged some thoughts over the weekend, and doubled down on my initial opinion by further commenting on the situation during Monday’s radio show. You can catch those remarks starting at the 7:35 mark.

Other topics include the Dallas Cowboys losing Tony Romo (again) 32:32, the NY Jets’ offensive woes and defensive wins (35:40), New York Yankees rookie sensation Gary Sanchez (40:14), and of course my Power recap (54:55). I dedicated a full 10 minutes or more to Power this week, and asked a lot of questions that I desperately need answers to. Please take a listen and let me know if you can help a sista out.

ABOUT ALL SPORTS EVERYTHING

ASE is a New York sports centric site with a range of lifestyle, news, & other relevant content, founded by Shana Renee. As a former ESPN marketing professional, Shana Renee understands how sports, pop culture, & the language of today's athletes intersect -- adding a unique perspective & necessary voice about race, gender, and sports culture to a traditionally male-driven sports community.